


poor compliment skills

by peachyteabuck



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Jealous Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 11:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16853362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachyteabuck/pseuds/peachyteabuck
Summary: a date with bucky goes…awry. kind of. some nice jealous!bucky fluff.





	poor compliment skills

_I’ll be down in five._

Bucky’s text to you is formal, just like everything else he writes. You sigh a little, annoyed. You’ve been ready for this date for at least twenty minutes. What was he doing? Editing a dissertation? Shaving his legs? Saving a puppy from a tree?

Still, you were going to be early for your reservation if he was going to meet you in  _fifteen_ minutes. So, you found a stray notepad sitting on the kitchen island and a pen stuck behind the coffee machine and did what you always did when you were bored: you made a list.

Specifically, you made a grocery list…damn, maybe you were so anxious because you were so damn  _hungry_. Work had kept you away from the lunch Bucky had packed you (ever the domestic), so you really hadn’t eaten since breakfast. In this case, this meant an apple and four cups of coffee. Eesh.

You’re planning yours and Bucky’s dinners for the next week when you hear one ridiculously familiar voice and one notso. You knew the second one: the unsure, shaky notes that trailed through the halls like a nervous student presenting an important school project. You just didn’t know as well as the first one.

You were standing, not wanting to wrinkles your nice dress. This made you easily enveloped by Anthony Stark.

“Ah, you look so wonderful! Just exquisite!” He cries. You smile wide and bright, trying to give him a proper embrace (but remaining careful to avoid getting your expensive foundation on his expensive suit).

The skinny boy behind him remains quiet, but his face gives him away. Eyes wide, mouth agape, arms stuck to his side. You recognize him, you’ve seen him around. Even consulted on how to handle a teenager possibly being in the Avengers.

The one, the only…

“Peter Parker!” You bring him into a hug, too. He seems shocked, and only accepts your hug after a moment of strong hesitation.

“It’s good to see you, too,” he says shyly.

Peter’s hands don’t seem to know where to rest, so they settle for about halfway up your back. They’re a safe distance from your ass, but it makes the hug awkward and clumsy. Oh well.

“How’s school?” You ask, pulling him in front of you so that you can meet his eyes. “You thinking about college yet?”

As he responds, his voice is hesitant. “Y-yeah. School’s great, it’s the usual…planning on attending MIT…”

You smile, and he seems to copy you in order to supplement his own thinking. “That’s great! I’m so happy for you!”

You lean in for another hug, and this time you feel him smell your neck; soaking in your light, summery perfume. It’s weird, but you don’t say anything. You were an awkward teenager once, too. You understand…kinda.

The conversation goes on for a few more minutes before Tony steers it towards your date with Bucky.

“One year, yeah?” he asks. “Because you look stunning, really. It’s amazing how you…God, is that Dolce?”

You nod. “It’s actually a year and a few months…just wanted to do something nice, emotional intimacy is important.”

Tony  _hmms._

Peter takes the natural lull in conversation to compliment you, too. Doesn’t want to seem rude in front of the woman who probably was the one to get him access to the compound in the first place. “It looks…your dress…it looks really nice, against your…you know…skin tone…and stuff”

You have absolutely no idea how to take it. Luckily, at that moment, Bucky comes down the hall in a stunning, sharp black suit. His tie and pocket square compliment your own attire, signifying your connection to each other.

“Lay off, kid,” He tells Peter, flesh hand wrapped around your waist and the visible part of his metal arm flexing possessively. “She’s mine.”

It makes you beam with delight. Thought you made sure he never crossed any sort of line, knowing the man you loved was willing to intimate people for you made you squirm with an adolescent sort of glee. “You ready, Bucky?”

“Yeah,” he mumbles.

You say your goodbyes to Tony and Peter, giggling quietly as you walk away with your deliciously handsome boyfriend.

As you both get in the car, silence settles over you. About halfway to the restaurant, you notice Bucky’s hands clenching around the steering wheel and his clenched jaw.

“Are you jealous of a seventeen year old?” As soon as you finish you bite your lip again, to keep from laughing. You don’t want to make fun of him or make him feel…insecure.

“No,” he gruffs out. “I am not… _jealous_. Especially jealous of a kid who once cried when you yelled at him.”

You purse your lips, cocking an eyebrow. “Are you  _sure_? Because the last time I saw you act like that was when Sam complimented my period boobs in the gym.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything back, so you drop it and move the conversation to lighter things; how the weather has been, whether or not you two should get a new mattress, how handsome he looks.

Dinner goes about as well as the car ride, neither of you comment on the Spiderman incident.

The time you find is right for  _that_ is later that night when you’re taking a bubble bath together. You’re scrubbing some lavender conditioner into his hair, and Bucky is practically purring under you. He seems relaxed, totally calm. He seems in a good spot to talk about his feelings, right?

“You know,” you try to stay calm. “If you  _are_ jealous, I’m not going to be mad at you.”

Bucky tenses a little under your fingers a tad, but doesn’t speak.

You continue. “It’s healthy to talk about these things, you know…it’s important to be open with each about our feelings, even the bad ones.”

He sighs, still silent. You decide not to push it, even as you dry off and get ready for bed. Once all the lights are off, all the teeth have been brushed and flossed, the pajamas on, your makeup off, faces moisturized, and you two under the covers and cuddled into each other, Bucky finally speaks.

“It just irked me…the way he said that to you,” You remain wordless. “He’s always bugged me, it’s like my little bro copin’ a feel, ya know?”

A giggle escapes your lips at the admission. You’d hoped having a kid around would help Bucky open a little, and it looks like your evil little plan worked. He saw Peter as his little brother! He saw  _himself_ as a brotherly figure! It wasn’t much, but it was something, and something was enough for you. You don’t want to steal his thunder, so you don’t interrupt him.

“I just love you, you know that? I’m absolutely obsessed with you, I mean like…in a good way. A healthy one, I guess? I love everything about you. And I don’t want to lose you.”

His flesh arm cradles your head, and you adjust to kiss his it. “I love you, too. And don’t get me wrong, what Peter said was…weird. And I  _will_ be having a strong talk with him about it. But I promise I won’t leave you for a seventeen year old who doesn’t know how to properly compliment a woman…yet.”

You both stare off into the darkness of the room, ocean sounds from the white noise machine above your bed.

He nuzzles the back of your head, kissing at your hair. “Good, because I wouldn’t let you.”

You snort. “Now  _that_ sounds unhealthy.”

Bucky shrugs. “Maybe, but we’re speaking in terms of the hypothetical here, so I don’t think it matters.”


End file.
